Plant Based Alternatives and It's Benefits
With increasing consciousness towards climate change and animal abuse, a large number of consumers are opting for mock meats. Plant based meat alternatives?has become a solution for vegetarians to satiate their meat cravings without?cheating on their vegan and cruelty friendly diet.
WHAT IS VEGAN MEAT?
Vegetarian meat is manufactured using meat replacements keeping in mind?
similar taste, texture, and flavour of meat, but without causing any harm. Meat?
products, like salami, bacon and sausage, come from animal sources while Plant-
based meat is made from various meat-free ingredients, like soy, pea, wheat?
gluten, pulses and jackfruit.?Vegan meat is also known as faux or fake meat,?
mock meat, or plant proteins. These vegetarian meat alternatives are designed?
to provide adequate or even more nutrition than that of non-vegetarian diet.?
Because of its resemblance to meat, vegan meat is difficult to distinguish. Many?
choose to eat plant-based meats for environmental reasons, but many choose?
this lifestyle simply because they believe it is healthier than eating a piece of any
other meat. Despite the differential reasoning, it is obvious that this trend is here
to stay and these markets have seen steady growth.
WHY SWITCH TO VEGAN MEAT?
The popularity and requirements are increasing day by day. So, the question?
arises, why exactly should a person opt for vegan meat? The answer is clear, a)?
it is the best solution to reduce animal killings, b) it is more sustainable and?
environmentally friendly and c) it is healthier and tastier with more nutrients.?
With rising environmental concern, people are becoming more cautious and?
aware about their actions and its repercussions. In every area including land?
usage, water consumption, and combating climate change, vegan meat has the?
potential to make a significant impact on the environment. Livestock farming is?
one of the most carbon-intensive sector and releases a lot of greenhouse gases.?
Plant-based meals can reduce carbon emissions potentially. If you are looking for
options in Hyderabad, subscribe to Nohung , a food delivery service which also?
offers vegan solutions.
PLANT BASED SUBSTITUTES
Giving up favourite foods can be difficult, especially if you're used to munching?
on meat products or you are consuming meat for health reasons. Fortunately,?
meat substitutes have come a long way. These plant-based alternatives help?
curb those cravings when you can't have the actual meat. While there are many?
options available, not every alternative is healthy and you need to be careful?
while choosing it. The production process of meat substitutes often involves?
dyes, preservatives, excess of sodium, and artificial binders. So, opting for?
natural options like lentils, tofu, or legumes is your best bet.?
1. TEMPEH
Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans. Itis a thick, loaf-like substance
that tastes delicious sliced in sandwiches or smoked on a pan instead of?
bacon strips. It’s a complete protein and the fermentation helps maintain?
healthy gut bacteria. It’s high in calcium and isoflavones, which may help?
fight certain cancers, while its high manganese levels help regulate blood?
sugar and promote bone health.
2. JACKFRUIT
Jackfruit is a great alternative as it resembles the texture of pulled pork.?
Native to Indian subcontinent, it is high in magnesium, fibre, B6, and?
antioxidants, while being low on carbs. The fibre content also helps with?
bowel irregularity, weight loss, and maintains cholesterol levels.
3. TOFU
Tofu is made from congealed soy milk. It’s the king of vegan meat, add?
picks up any flavour. Soy from tofu is also a complete protein and is high?
iron and calcium, which are particularly crucial for vegan diets. A great?
substitute for meat and dairy based protein.
4. LENTILS
Lentils are rich in fibre, protein, and potassium and unprocessed forms of?
plant protein. It is a great replacement to limit processed foods to avoid?
excess sugar or salt.
5. PEA PROTEIN
Texture and wholesomeness of ground beef is a task to achieve, but pea?
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protein seems to be an ideal substitute. It is also gluten-free, soy-free,?
GMO-free, and contains good amount of protein content.
6. CHICKPEAS
Common to Indian households, chickpeas are star ingredients. A cup of?
chickpeas contains 35 grams of fibre, 39 grams of protein, making them?
balanced option for any meal. It is high in carbohydrates and make?
delicious patties and curries.
7. PLANT BASED MEATS
This is gaining popularity amongst the vegan eaters. It not only helps?
satiate the cravings for meat products like sausages and bacon, it is?
protein and nutrients packed. Mock sausages are made with pea protein?
and has high protein content. They really mimic the taste of chicken, so?
they’re perfect for people who are in the process and want a meat-like?
feel.
8. PLANT BASED MILK AND DERIVATIVE
Vegan, vegetarian or non-vegetarian, Milk, cheese and butter is the most?
essential component of our diet. It not just has nutritional benefits, but?
also soothes our palate. Vegan milk is not a new concept, it has been used
since forever in cooking. But substituting regular milk with these options is
great way to incorporate coffee or tea, while being vegan. There are many
available options like oat milk, hemp milk, potato milk, coconut milk,?
hazelnut/ cashew/ almond milk, or sesame milk for those with nut?
allergies.
BENEFITS OF PLANT BASED MEATS
Increase in population has increased the demand for meat. The livestock sector?
is one of the crucial contributors to environmental problems. Conventional meat?
production is responsible for almost 14.5% of the world’s greenhouse gases.?
Livestock rearing also causes a loss of soil nutrients, leaving land unusable in the
future.
1. Climate Change: Plant based meat production involves low greenhouse?
gas emissions and can reduce emissions caused by conventional meat?
production by 70%.
2. Land and Water Conservation: Switching to a plant-based diet could?
reduce water consumption by 50% and agricultural land use from 4 to 1?
billion hectares and retain soil fertility.
3. Cleaner Water and ocean conservation: Consumption of plant-based?
replacements can stop the practice of overfishing which results in oceanic?
dead zones.
4. Plant-based diets are nutritious and healthy and help with better?
functioning of body. It helps in acne triggers, improves bowel movements?
and keeps hormones in control.
5. It helps in lowering Blood Pressure, preventing type 2 diseases, keeping?
cholesterol in control and improve brain function and concentration.
CONCLUSION
Plant-based alternatives offer a solution to these problems. They produce?
minimal greenhouse gases and require only some percentage of the cropland?
and water required for meat production. A plant-based diet improve the?
cognitive functions of your body. But, Plant-based diets also carry some risk of?
inadequate protein, vitamin, and mineral intake. The processed mock meats are?
high on preservatives and sodium content, which might lead to conditions like?
increase in blood sugar, BP and cholesterol. Although, environment friendly, this?
diet is often expensive and not accessible and sustainable for all. While each one
has its own pros and cons, we need to modify according to changing times. Plant
based alternatives is an easy way to satisfy your cravings and still get the?
texture of sausage when you’re transitioning to a vegan diet.?